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What is it?
The
Votes at 16 Coalition campaigns for 16 and 17 year olds to be able to vote in all UK public elections. Launched in 2003, the
Coalition is made up of over 40 leading youth and democracy organisations from across the UK. The Votes at 16 campaign is
supported by thousands of young people and people of all ages, as well as politicians of all parties and institutions like
the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.
Voting is the
way we choose those who represent us and make decisions on our behalf – and how we hold them to account for those decisions.
16 year olds are increasingly treated like adults and expected to take their responsibilities seriously – now it’s
time 16 year olds were given the respect and the right that every citizen deserves. For a leaflet which provides a brief introduction to the issue of Votes
at 16, click here.
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Why votes at 16? Over 1.5 million 16 and 17 year olds are denied the vote in the United
Kingdom. For years there has been a consistent demand from young people for Votes at 16, and a clear case for change. That
case is now overwhelming. At 16, we can leave school, work full time
and pay taxes, leave home, get married, join the armed forces, and make lots of decisions about our future.
At 16, people become adults and take control of their own futures - so why can't we have the basic
right of all adult citizens of a say in how the country is run?
We're all interested
in issues; from climate change to racism, from education to crime. Voting is the fundamental way that we have our say on issues,
and we think that at 16, young people are mature enough to be properly listened to. Stopping
16 and 17 year olds from voting and having the chance to be heard sends a signal to them and to society, especially politicians,
that our views aren't valid and that we aren't real citizens. At a time when people feel that politics isn't relevant
to them, young people need to be encouraged to take part in democracy, not kept out from it. Citizenship education, youth engagement campaigns and high-speed interactive media have made this generation
the most politically aware and educated ever, but the number of people taking part in politics just keeps on dropping. It's
time we recognised the abilities of 16 year olds, including them in society and showing them the trust and respect that society
expects of them.
To find out more about the case for
Votes at 16, download 16 for 16: 16 reasons for votes at 16 HERE.
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What can you do
to get involved?
The
Government is seriously considering lowering the voting age and the Youth Citizenship Commission - which found that 3 out
of 4 young people wanted Votes at 16 - is due to make its recommendations at the end of June. But we can't just wait for
it to happen - we need to act now to make sure Votes at 16 becomes a reality.
So how
can you help make history? You can join by signing their petition.
You can also spread the word. We
need to raise awareness of the campaign and get more people to sign up. You can download a petition and get your friends and family to show their support by signing up, just print it off, fill it up
and send it back to:
Votes at 16
FREEPOST SE6853
PO Box 773
London SE1 0YT
or
just direct them to the online petition.
You can also write to your MP, it's much better if you write your
own letter, but the Votes at 16 website does have a template letter you can use to get you started. Why not write to your Councillors, MSPs (both constituency
and regional), and MEPs as well? Find out who your representatives are and how to write to them here, you just enter your postcode and it will list your representatives.
If you're
really passionate about this you can help campaign in your neighbourhood by becoming a regional campaigner:
organise talks and debates, run petitions or street stalls, speak in schools and other organisations, write to the local media,
and coordinate local campaigns. Not only will you be playing a huge part in making history by helping make Votes at 16 happen;
you'll also be gaining skills and experiences for the future that will look great on your CV. If this sounds like you,
get in touch with them!
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